The long grind of the NBA season is over and the first night of play-in games is in the books. Two more games will be tipping off tonight as the ninth and tenth seeds in each conference fight for the right to a true playoff opportunity.
Starting in the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls will face off. The winner of that game will play the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, while the loser will see their season come to an end. Whichever team wins on Friday will play the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs.
The action will then shift to the West Coast as the Sacramento Kings host the Dallas Mavericks. While the fallout of the Luka Doncic trade continues to be the story of the season for Dallas, the Mavericks will look to keep their season alive on the floor with a victory tonight. The winner of the matchup will face the Memphis Grizzlies to try to earn a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs.
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the action this evening. One of the unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Basketball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for action on April 16th. You simply choose whether each set statistic will be more or less than the set number. With the stage set, here are my favorite picks across the exciting slate.
Tyler Herro More Than 25.5 Points
While the Jimmy Butler trade saga and the underwhelming overall season stole the headlines, Tyler Herro deserves some credit for the career season he has had. The 25-year-old earned his first All-Star appearance, averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds. Herro took a career-high 8.7 three-point attempts and connected at a 37.5% rate while shooting a career-best 56.5% from inside the arc.
This is a great matchup as the Bulls have struggled defensively all season. Chicago ranks 28th in opponent points allowed, 27th in opponent three-point attempts and it has given up the most points in the paint this season. Herro dropped 30 points against the Bulls already in a matchup this season and has recorded more than 25.5 points in 32 games overall.
Miami is a bit limited in its number of offensive creators, and the Bulls’ defense has not proven capable of getting regular stops all season. Expect a significant workload on Herro’s plate and for the Kentucky product to make the most of it. Herro closed the regular season recording more than 25.5 points in six of his last 10 games. Count on him to rise to the occasion as he begins to settle into being a more prominent face of the franchise.
Josh Giddey More Than 38.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
Regardless of the results of tonight’s game, the level of play from Josh Giddey should be looked at as a huge positive storyline for the Bulls moving forward. Chicago traded for the former Thunder guard before the season and, despite some strong critiques from the general public, Giddey showcased some layers to his game that he was unable to previously show. On the season overall, he has averaged 14.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
Giddey especially shined down the home stretch of the season. Since the All-Star break, he has averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. These two teams most recently faced off on April 9th, where Giddey finished with 28 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. Across the three matchups against the Heat this season, Giddey averaged 26.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 10.0 assists.
The lights will be a bit brighter in this matchup, but expect Giddey to continue building off the success that he has had. The 22-year-old is at the epicenter of everything the Bulls do and he impacts the game in a variety of ways. Look for him to carry his production into the play-in tournament and record more than 38.5 combined points, rebounds and assists tonight. Giddey has reached this total in three straight games leading into this matchup and two of the three regular-season games against the Heat. Expect him to add to this tonight.
Kel’el Ware More Than 17.5 Points & Rebounds
One bright spot to emerge on the Miami Heat this season has been the level of play from Kel’el Ware. This year’s 15th overall pick has seen his role grow throughout the season as he has become a key part of this Heat team. Overall, he has averaged 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks across his 22.2 minutes per game.
Since the All-Star break, Ware has clocked 26.8 minutes per game and produced 10.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Across his final 16 games, Ware averaged 12.0 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Miami continued to show more trust in him, and Ware proved why that was the right call.
Chicago leaves plenty to be desired defensively, with Nikola Vucevic’s limitations at the center spot being the biggest concern. It allows the most points in the paint in the league, and Chicago will have no answer for Ware’s 7-foot frame and verticality around the rim. Expect the Heat to utilize him as a lob threat and for Ware to attack the offensive glass. Count on him to record more than 17.5 combined points and rebounds just as he has in 10 of his past 14 games.
Anthony Davis More Than 41.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
Anthony Davis was thrown into one of the most difficult team transitions any player has gone through this season. The Mavericks’ fan base continues to express their frustrations with the decision to trade Luka Doncic as the organization digs a deeper and deeper hole over the optics of this franchise-altering decision. In the meantime, Davis continues to do his part by performing on the floor as often as he can. The 10-time All-Star will be the clear-cut best player on the floor in this matchup, and expect this to be put on display tonight.
Davis has played just nine games for the Mavericks thus far and averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in this small sample size. The 10-time All-Star has still tallied more than 41.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in four of these nine games, including closing the regular season with a 23-point, 13-rebound and 10-assist triple-double.
Sacramento has some significant defensive concerns and closed the season ranking 19th in opponent points allowed, 22nd in opponent field-goal percentage and 16th in total rebounding. Expect Davis to set the tone for this entire Mavericks team with a spirited effort and get the better of the matchup with Domantas Sabonis. There is no true cure for the frustrations of the fan base, but expect Davis to continue playing at a high level and do his best to provide some positivity for the future of the franchise. Count on the former champion to tally more than 41.5 combined points, rebounds and assists tonight as he does everything in his power to keep the Mavericks’ season alive.
Zach LaVine Less Than 8.5 Assists & Rebounds
Zach LaVine escaped his place of seemingly being stuck in years of trade rumors by landing with the Sacramento Kings midseason. He has played 32 games with the new franchise so far, with there already being some notable ups and downs. LaVine is averaging 22.4 points, 3.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. He has been held to less than 8.5 assists and rebounds in 21 of the 32 games in Sacramento.
Dallas has dug its heels in on being a defensive-minded team and will look to control the game from this area. Expect LaVine to have trouble collecting rebounds with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford set to patrol the paint. LaVine does not carry too much responsibility as a playmaker in general, with his assist opportunities shrinking since coming to Sacramento. He tallied just six total assists across the two regular-season matchups with Dallas, with both of these occurring while he was with the Kings. LaVine was also held to less than 8.5 assists and rebounds in both games.
LaVine is a score-first player who will still make his presence felt in this area. However, don’t expect him to impact the game much outside of this, especially against this Mavericks team. Count on him being held to less than 8.5 assists and rebounds, just as he has in 65% of his games with the Kings thus far.
Domantas Sabonis More Than 6.5 Assists
Domantas Sabonis quietly had another really solid season in Sacramento. The three-time All-Star averaged 19.1 points, an NBA-best 13.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. While he will not be confused for Nikola Jokic, Sabonis is one of the best passing big men in the league and expect the Kings to utilize this tonight.
It is tough to take too much from the raw numbers due to the injuries and roster changes, but Dallas ranks 20th in opponent points allowed and 20th in opponent assists this season. Sabonis finished with assist outputs of seven and eight during the two regular-season matchups with Dallas. While Sabonis oftentimes has success out of the post as a scorer, this will be a tough matchup against Davis, Lively and Gafford. As a counter, expect Sabonis to look to lean on his playmaking and take a more focused approach on generating looks for others.
When they are at their best, the Kings’ offense functions with plenty of off-ball motion from players like LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, with Sabonis serving as the offensive hub. Expect these opportunities to occur tonight and for him to deliver as a passer with Dallas’ interior defense in mind. Count on him to record more than 6.5 assists, just as he has done 30 times this season and in both matchups with the Mavericks.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of at least two players and select whether you believe each will outperform their listed stat projection. Enter your Pick Set in Pick6 contests to compete against other users. Get enough picks correct and win a share of cash prizes.
How to Play DraftKings Pick6
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing 2+ players from the same sport and Pick Group (a set of picks available from a group of set competitions). For each player, simply select if you think they’ll have more or less than their listed stat projection. In each Pick Set, you cannot pick the same player twice and you must select players from at least two different teams.
Enter an Amount
Once you finalize your Pick Set, choose your entry fee amount. Your entries will be automatically distributed into available contests, subject to your confirmation.
Sweat Your Picks
When the games go live, use the My Picks tab to follow your picks in real time to track how your players are performing against their projections and how they stack up against other users.
Compete for Prizes
Make enough correct picks and win a share of the contests’ guaranteed prizes. Any prizes won will be credited to your DraftKings account after contests are finalized.
Play at DraftKings Pick6 or by downloading the DraftKings Pick6 app on Apple or Google!
